4x4 NEWS
SKODA CONCEPT COULD HINT AT
PICK-UP AMBITIONS
I
s Skoda trying to tell us it
wants to join the one-tonne
market? The Czech company
recently presented what must
be one of the oddest concepts
of its time, in the shape of the
Mountiaq – a Kodiaq which has
been transformed into a two-door
pick-up.
We’ve previously asked Skoda
offi cials whether the company
has any designs upon putting its
own badge on the VolkswagenAmarok. The response was a clearly
ambiguous ‘we don’t have to do
our own version of everything
Volkswagen makes,’ which sounds
like a clear case of refusing to rule
it out.
The Mountiaq, however, is
rather different. It was built by 35
apprentices from the Class of 2019
in the Skoda Vocational School,
who spent more than 2000 hours
Zisualising, designing and fi nally
building the vehicle.Starting with a Kodiaq 2.0 TSI
4x4, the team removed its roof and
fabricated a whole new rear body- including a pick-up bed, which
takes the vehicle’s overall length
to 4999mm. Further dimensions
include a 2788mm wheelbase and
290mm of ground clearance – up
by just under 4” on that of a
standard Kodiaq Scout.
The lift is achieved in part by a
set of 245/65R17 Falken Wildpeak
all-terrain tyres. Should these not
be enough to keep on top of the
vehicle’s traction needs, it has a
steel front nudge bar incorporating
an electric winch. Further off-road
kit includes a snorkel (complete
with ugly elbow angle, but still) and
roof-mounted LED bar.
The Mountiaq’s cabin features
orange highlights to match its
unmistakeable exterior paint
scheme, and in addition to its
headlining and embroidery it’s
equipped with a fridge and a setAlfa Romeo has designed a special livery for a Stelvio Quadrifoglio
entered into this year’s Gumball 3000. The charity event, which
started in Mykonos and ended in Ibiza, stopped off at the Balocco
Proving Ground, where generations of Alfas have earned their spursVolkswagen has added a 1.6 TDI engine to its T-Cross
range. The 95bhp, 52.9mpg unit is available with manual
and auto gearboxes, with prices starting at £21,240 on
the road. It’s not, however, offered with four-wheel drive12 | AUGUST 2019 4x